Life with the Potters
by IaMnOtImOrTaL
Summary: This is the story of Kreacher the house elf. It will be in his POV and will take place in the present with flashbacks over his years serving Harry and his family.
1. Chapter 1

It was still dark when he rose from his cupboard. Master had offered to make him a bedroom but Kreacher had declined as house elves were not supposed to have bedrooms. Instead he had agreed to Master cleaning and replacing some of Kreacher's dirty rags with clean, soft, blankets. It had been many years since Kreacher had been given to his Master, he remembered how much he had dreaded it in the beginning, feared it would be like having Master Sirius back.

Kreacher had been wrong.

Master was kind and fair to Kreacher. He never yelled, punished, or did anything unkind to Kreacher at all. In fact, Master had offered to free Kreacher after the battle at Hogwarts, but Kreacher refused. He had come to like his Master and would serve him until he died.

As Kreacher got up and stretched before going about his business he reflected on how the past years have been with Master and his family. Kreacher remembered when Master had come back from the school to Grimmauld Place. He had been tired and sad. Master never asked Kreacher to do anything but Kreacher always made sure Master ate. He often found Master sitting alone in the library just staring off in to nothing. In the beginning Kreacher hadn't known what to do, he didn't really know what his Master wanted from him so he hid in his cupboard and only came out to cook and make sure Master went to bed.

As the weeks passed and Kreacher saw that his Master wasn't improving he started to clean up the house. He started with Master's bedroom and then the toilet. He had managed to get every room in the house in to almost perfect condition, every room except the library where Master sat alone in silence. Kreacher was afraid to go in there and disrupt Master Harry. He didn't want him to get angry and throw Kreacher out.

Another week passed before Kreacher had worked up the courage to go in there. At first it was just a little dusting. Then it was picking up papers and putting books away. When Master said nothing Kreacher went about his business until that room too was as spotless as it could be. When there was nothing left to do he made tea and brought it into the library and placed it on the table next to Master Harry. He then decided to sit in the corner and keep Master company.

This had been their routine for several days before Kreacher realized that when he brought Master his letters they were not being opened. Kreacher had begun to worry, but had not known what to do. He had decided that Master needed help and if that meant Kreacher was going to be punished so be it. Kreacher went to get Masters friends.

They came over and seeing them seemed to bring Master back to life. They stayed for several days until they were sure Master would be alright on his own for a few days. Kreacher remembered that when Mistress Hermione had left she had made Kreacher promise that if tomorrow Master went back to his old ways Kreacher was to come get her immediately. Kreacher had promised and with that she and the red headed boy had left.

Kreacher had been worried that Master would be angry with Kreacher that he had betrayed his trust and gone to his friends, however Master thanked him and praised his job on cleaning the house. Since then Master rarely had moments when he seemed lost to the world and say alone in silence. Kreacher knew that when that happened he was to go and get Hermione and Ron if it lasted long than a few minutes.

However, since Master had married Kreacher's Mistress these moments had gone completely. Kreacher liked his Mistress as she was just as kind as Master. As Kreacher thought of his Mistress he realized that he would need to stop his reminiscing and get started on breakfast. The family would be up soon and today the family had an outing to Diagonally, which Kreacher must prepare for.

With a final stretch Kreacher set about his task getting his family ready for their day.


	2. Chapter 2

Kreacher had set out breakfast just as the first of his young masters were heading down the stairs. As the children were older now he no longer had to make three different breakfasts in order to keep them from throwing fits. He loved his little masters, and his little mistress, but they had been a handful when they had been little. Master James was the first one through the door, no longer the little boy that had thrown peas at Kreacher instead of eating them. Kreacher remembered the first, and last time it happened. Master James was 4 and had taken a dislike of peas. Being the good house elf he was when his little master had said no to the peas Kreacher had taken them away. Mistress then told him kindly to bring the peas back as Master James was going to eat what was presented to him. Kreacher had brought back the peas and Master James started to cry. In his fit he had thrown the peas at Kreacher screaming "No! No peas!" Kreacher felt awful, he hadn't wanted the little boy to cry but he didn't like being yelled at either.

Kreacher remembered that Mistress had picked up the little boy looked him right in the eye and yelled at him. "James Sirius Potter!" She had bellowed "You will never throw food ever again, much less at Kreacher. And if I ever hear you yell at him again you will not be seeing your cousins for a month!" The boy looked so startled at being yelled at, indeed Kreacher had never heard Mistress yell ever. "Now young man you will go to your room and wait until your father gets home!" She then placed the boy on the floor and pulled out her wand to pick up the mess he had made.

Master James had run off to his room crying, and Mistress then turned to Kreacher after hearing James' bedroom door slam shut. "I am so sorry Kreacher, he is just a little boy but I promise he will be better behaved. Thank you for making dinner." She had given him a sad smile and proceeded to tell him to save a plate for Master Harry then help himself to whatever he had a mind to.

Kreacher remembered that evening because after all of his chores were done and Mistress had gone to bed, he was sitting in his cupboard when there was a soft knock. He came out and saw Master Harry standing there with the young master behind him. "Kreacher? James has something to say to you if you don't mind." Master had said with a kind smile to Kreacher. He then turned to Master James with a stern look that allowed for no argument.

Looking down at his feet the young master stepped forward and said in a very soft voice. "I sorry Kreacher. I promise to never throw your food again." He looked up at his father with hopeful eyes.

Master Harry had given him another look and nodded in Kreacher's direction "And?" He pressed when his son didn't seem to catch his meaning.

This time James looked Kreacher in the eye and said much more confidently "And I promise to never yell at Kreacher again. Daddy said I am a nice boy and nice boys don't yell." With that he went up to Kreacher to give him a hug and whispered "I like your corn better than peas" As he pulled away he had a smile that made Kreacher's eyes feel wet. With that Master sent James up to bed and apologized to Kreacher again before retiring himself. Kreacher had never had a Master make his children apologize to Kreacher, much less apologize himself on their behalf. He loved serving Master and his family.

Kreacher was pulled out of his memories by Master James. "Kreacher do you mind making a little extra sausage this morning? I don't want to be hungry while we shop, the Leaky Cauldron isn't bad but it holds no candle to your cooking." Master James had grown up quite a lot since the day of the peas. He was about to off to another year at Hogwarts, his brother Albus had joined him two years ago and now it was Kreacher's little mistress who would be going.

"Of course Master James, Kreacher will have it ready in a moment." Kreacher got one of James' smiles, the same one he had gotten that night when the boy apologized. It was as if that smile was for Kreacher alone.

"Thank you Kreacher! I'll go put on the water for tea." He said as he made his way to the stove. Kreacher was not as young as he used to be and even though at first it was difficult to allow the family to do things that should have been his job Master Harry had assured him that he was still a good elf and that they enjoyed helping him as he did so much for them.


End file.
